Sheet or film clipping stretcher

ABSTRACT

A clip support member  30  has a first shaft member  51  cantilevered by guide rollers  56  and  56  for a guiding along a reference rail with a recessed channel  101 , the clip support member  30  being provided with a slider  40  having a second shaft member  52  cantilevered by guide rollers  57  and  57  for a guiding along a pitch setting rail  120  with a recessed channel  121 , the clip support member  30  supporting a clip  20  at an end thereof, where it has the first shaft member  51 , whereto one end of a main link member  53  and one end of a sub-link member  54  are pivotally connected, to constitute a reference linkage at the clip  20  end.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sheet or film clipping stretcher for stretching a thermoplastic resin film or the like, and particularly, to a sheet or film clipping stretcher adapted for simultaneous stretch in machine-directional and transverse biaxial directions.

BACKGROUND ART

There are sheet or film clipping stretchers disclosed in patent documents 1 to 3 listed below, with a configuration that includes paired equilateral linkages provided with clips for clipping a sheet or film, and connected by chain links in an endless manner, so that they are arrayed on a flat plane, at right and left, to be line-symmetric. In those sheet or film clipping stretchers, between right and left clips, the distance is gradually expanded by guide rails to effect a transverse stretch (TD stretch), and simultaneously, the equilateral linkages are extended for clip pitches to be gradually increased to effect a machine-directional stretch (MD stretch), thereby permitting a simultaneous biaxial stretch to be implemented.

Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Publication No. 44-7155

Patent document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-122640

Patent document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 61-58723

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

However, those sheet or film clipping stretchers are problematic, as follows:

(a) Those sheet or film clipping stretchers disclosed in the patent documents 1 and 2 each have linkages supported by link shafts, of which a respective one is cantilevered to a guide rail by a single guide roller, giving rise to anxieties of rattling, with a difficulty to afford a simultaneous biaxial stretch at high precision.

To this point, the sheet or film clipping stretcher disclosed in the patent document 3 has linkages supported by link shafts each respectively supported at both ends thereof to a guide rail by a pair of guiding elements, with the more complex configuration of guide rail.

In addition, the patent documents 1 to 3 have the following problems:

(b) Those which include link members provided with clips at their one-ends tend to suffer, at an inflectional guide rail portion where the transverse stretch width changes, from large angular changes of clips to a sheet or film, and from wide variations in clip position and spacing (clip MD pitch) in a longitudinal direction (MD direction) of the sheet or film. This constitutes a difficulty to afford a simultaneous biaxial stretch at high precision for high magnifications.

(c) In that which has chain links arranged opposite to a clipping side, the guide rails have enlarged radii at inflectional portions thereof, with enlarged moments to bear stretching forces in the machine direction. On the other hand, in that which has chain links arranged at a clipping side, back-fold may occur just after stretch, causing troubles in operation.

(d) The machine-directional spacing of clips (clip MD pitch) has a minimum that depends on a width dimension of clips (or link elements), and a maximum that depends on a length of chain links. The clip MD pitch is changeable in accordance with a change in guide rail spacing that causes equilateral linkages to expand or flex. It however is difficult to make an MD stretch at high precision in a small-stretch region (at the small-pitch end) where the change of clip MD pitch is bound to a range of small changes of guide rail spacing.

(e) Actually, the simultaneous biaxial stretcher is subject to backlashes and distortions of pivotal shafts and linkage elements, degrees of precision in positioning of guide rails, etc, so the clip MD pitch varies widely in a range of small inter-clip distances in the MD direction. It therefore is unavoidable for the clip MD pitch of clips clipping a sheet or film to be uniquely set up for use, as a minimum pitch with neighboring clips (or link elements) brought into contact with each other.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems described, allowing for implementation of a high-precision, high-magnification simultaneous biaxial stretch

According to a principal aspect of the present invention, a sheet or, film clipping stretcher includes first and second clip arrays composed of clips, respectively, and configured to clip both side edge parts of a sheet or film to stretch the sheet or film, and the sheet or film clipping stretcher comprises first and second clip array circulators line-symmetrically arranged on a plane, and configured to circulate the first and second clip arrays along line-symmetric prescribed routes, respectively, the first and second clip array circulators each respectively comprising a plurality of clip support members rectangular in shape, and each respectively having a clip supported on one longitudinal end part thereof and a longitudinal elongate hole formed therein at the other end side, a first shaft member provided in a vicinity of the one end part of a respective clip support member, a slider slidably engaged with the elongate hole of the respective clip support member, a second shaft member provided to the slider of the respective clip support member, link members configured to link neighboring clip support members with each other, a reference rail engaged with a first engaging element provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member, and defining a prescribed route, a pitch setting rail provided along with the reference rail, engaged with a second engaging element provided on the second shaft member of the slider engaged with the respective clip support member, and configured to set a pitch between neighboring clip support members in a variable manner depending on a spacing distance relative to the reference rail, and a drive sprocket configured to selectively engage with a driving roller provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member to have the respective clip support member travel along the prescribed route, wherein the first and second engaging element comprise guiding means, respectively, being guiding means constituting the first engaging element for one of the first shaft member and the reference rail to be thereby cantilevered, and guiding means constituting the second engaging element for one of the second shaft member and the pitch setting rail to be thereby cantilevered

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an entire configuration of a sheet or film clipping stretcher according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in a minimal pitch state according to the embodiment

FIG. 3 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in a maximal pitch state according to the embodiment

FIG. 4 is a side view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the minimal pitch state according to the embodiment

FIG. 5 is a side view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the maximal pitch state according to the embodiment

FIG. 6 is a side view of essential parts of a sheet or film clipping stretcher in a state of pitches limited (with stoppers off) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the state of pitches limited (with stoppers off) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in a state of pitches limited (with stoppers on) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the state of pitches limited (with stoppers on) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side view of essential parts of a sheet or film clipping stretcher in a state of pitches limited (with stoppers off) according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the state of pitches limited (with stoppers off) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a side view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in a state of pitches limited (with stoppers on) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of essential parts of the sheet or film clipping stretcher in the state of pitches limited (with stoppers on) according to the other embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a sectional view of an essential portion of a sheet or fpm clipping stretcher according to another embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

There will be described an embodiment of a sheet or film clipping stretcher according to the present invention, with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 5.

Description is now made of an entire configuration of a sheet or film clipping stretcher according to the present embodiment, with reference to FIG. 1.

The sheet or film clipping stretcher 200 includes endless loops 10R and 10L that have multiplicities of clips 20 configured to clip a sheet or film. The endless loops 10R and 10L are arranged to be line-symmetric about a line on a plane as illustrated in FIG. 1, which line can be set arbitrarily on the plane. It is noted that in view of an inlet end of sheet or film (the left end in FIG. 1), that endless loop residing on the right side is referred herein to the endless loop 10R, and that endless loop residing on the left side, to the endless loop 10L.

The endless loops 10R and 10L have their sets of clips 20 guided by reference rails 100 to circulate in a looping manner. As illustrated in FIG. 1, for endless loop 10R, the circulation is clockwise, and for endless loops 10L, the circulation is counterclockwise.

A preheating zone A, a stretching zone B, and a heat-treating zone C are configured in this order from the inlet end of sheet or film S to an outlet end (the right end in FIG. 1).

It is noted that in FIG. 1, designated by a quadrilateral U1 is part of sheet or film S before its transverse stretch (that is, in the preheating zone A). And, quadrilaterals U2 and U3 depict how the quadrilateral U1 is deformed, when passing through the stretching zone B (during machine-directional and transverse stretch) and the heat-treating zone C (after machine-directional and transverse stretch), respectively.

It is now assumed that the quadrilateral U1 has a transverse (TD) dimension W₀ identical to a transverse size of sheet or film 1, and the quadrilateral U3 has a transverse (TD) dimension W₁ identical to a transverse size of sheet or film S after machine-directional and transverse stretch. Further, the quadrilateral U1 has a machine-directional (MD) dimension L₀, which is assumed to develop to L₁ after machine-directional and transverse stretch (that is, in the quadrilateral U3). By such settings, it so follows that, as the quadrilateral U1 passes through the stretching zone B, this quadrilateral U1 (that is, the quadrilateral U2) has a transverse dimension W, and a machine-directional dimension L, meeting inequality expressions, such that W₀≦W≦W₁, and L₀≦L≦L₁, respectively.

There will be describe below stretching sheet or film S under such the assumption, and by applying dimensions of quadrilaterals U1, U2, and U3 to description of machine-directional and transverse sizes of sheet or film S, for easier comprehension.

In the preheating zone A, the endless loops 10R and 10L have a spacing distance D_(T) corresponding to a transverse width W₀ of sheet or film S before transverse stretch, and the endless loops 10R and 10L are arranged in parallel, with the width W₀ kept as it is over the entire region.

In the stretching zone B, the endless loops 10R and 10L have a gradually increased spacing distance D_(T) , as they extend from the preheating zone A toward the heat-treating zone C, while the endless loops 10R and 10L are subject to a non-parallel arrangement. For the endless loops 10R and 10L in the stretching zone B, the spacing distance D_(T) is varied, becoming correspondent to the transverse width W₀ of sheet or film S before transverse stretch at a stretch initiating end (as a connected end to the preheating zone A), and correspondent to a transverse width W₁ of sheet or film S stretched transversely finally at a stretch completing end (as a connected end to the heat-treating zone C).

In the heat-treating zone C, the endless loops 10R and 10L have a spacing distance corresponding to the transverse width W₁ of sheet or film S stretched transversely finally, and the endless loops 10R and 10L are arranged in parallel, with the width W₁ kept as it is over the entire region.

Description is now made of details of configuration of the sheet or film clipping stretcher 200 according to the present embodiment, with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5.

The right and left endless loops 10R and 10L each have a number of clips 20, of which a respective one is mounted on one longitudinal end part (at the front) of a clip support member 30 rectangular in shape. The clip 20 is configured for a clipping of sheet or film S in a releasably gripping manner, with a yoke-shaped clip body 21, a stationary lower clip member 22 fixedly attached to the clip body 21, a movable lever 24 rotatably attached to the clip body 21 by a pin 23, and a movable upper clip member 26 swingably attached to a lower end of the movable lever 24 by a pin 25, And, the clip 20 is adapted to clip a side edge of sheet or film S in a pinching manner by combination of the stationary lower clip member 22 and the movable upper clip member 26.

For the number of clips 20, there is a set of clip support members 30 identical in number thereto, of which a respective one is adapted to individually support a clip 20. The clip support member 30 is configured as a rigid frame structure enclosed in a section (refer to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5) with a front wall 37, a rear wall 38, an upper beam 35, and a lower beam 36. At both ends (the from wall 37 and the rear wall 38) of the clip support member 30, there are travel wheels 33 and 34 rotatably supported by axles 31 and 32, respectively. The travel wheels 33 and 34 are adapted to roll, on horizontal travel roadbeds 111 and 112 formed on a base 110. The travel roadbeds 111 and 112 are parallel to a reference rail 100, along the length.

At far end sides (read sides) of the upper beam 35 and the lower beam 36 of each clip support member 30, there are longitudinal elongate holes (as elongate bores) 39 formed therein. The upper and lower elongate holes 39 have sliders 40 respectively engaged therewith and slidable in longitudinal directions of the elongate holes 39.

In a vicinity of one end part (on the clip 20 side) of each clip support member 30, there is a single first shaft member 51 vertically provided through the upper beam 35 and the lower beam 36. The Upper and lower sliders 40 of each clip support member 30 have a single second shaft member 52 vertically provided therethrough.

To the first shaft member 51 of each clip support member 30, one end of a main link member 53 is pivotally connected. The other end of the main link member 53 is pivotally connected to the second shaft member 52 of a neighboring clip support member 30.

To the first shaft member 51 of each clip support member 30, one end of a sub-link member 54 is pivotally connected, in addition to the main link member 53. The sub-link member 54 is pivotally connected at the other end to an intermediate part of the main link member 53, by a pivot shaft 55.

Main link members 53 and sub-link members 54 constitute linkages, whereby as illustrated in FIG. 2, the farther their sliders 40 go toward the far ends of clip support members 30 (opposite to the clips) the smaller those pitches (clip MD pitches) D_(M) that neighboring clip support members 30 have therebetween become, and as illustrated in FIG. 3, the more their sliders 40 come up toward the one ends of clip support members 30 (toward the clips) the greater those pitches D_(M) that neighboring clip support members 30 have therebetween become.

It is noted that in the present embodiment, neighboring clip support members 30 have a minimal pitch D_(M) (MIN) therebetween established by the neighboring clip support members 30 contacting each other, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and neighboring clip support members 30 have a maximal pitch D_(M) (MAX) therebetween established by sliders 40 arriving at stroke end parts at the one end sides (the clip sides) of the clip support members

The first shaft member 51 has a first engaging element rotatably provided on a lower end thereof, The first engaging element is composed of a pair of guide rollers 56. The guide rollers are arranged in an axial direction of the first shaft member 51, and respectively engaged with a recessed channel 101 of the reference rail 100 of recessed-channel shape provided on the base 110 to define a circulation route of clips 20. The first shaft member 51 has a driving roller 58 rotatably provided on an upper end thereof

The driving roller 58 is configured to engage with drive sprockets 11 and 12 (refer to FIG. 1) in a selective manner to have a respective clip support member 30 travel along the circulation route. In other words, the drive sprockets 11 and 12 are adapted to selectively engage with the driving roller 58 of a respective clip support member 30, and are driven to rotate by electric motors 13 and 14 (refer to FIG. 1) to provide each clip support member 30 with forces to have the clip support member 30 travel along the circulation route.

The second shaft member 52 has a second engaging element rotatably provided on a lower end thereof. The second engaging element is composed of a pair of pitch setting rollers 57. The pitch setting rollers are arranged in an axial direction of the second shaft member 52, and respectively engaged with a recessed channel 121 of a pitch setting rail 120 of recessed-channel shape provided on the base 110, along with the reference rail 100, for the sliders 40 to be set in position in the elongate holes 39.

The pitch setting rail 120 works for sliders 40 to be set in position in elongate holes 39 depending on a spacing distance P thereof relative to the reference rail 100, to thereby set pitches D_(M) between neighboring clip support members 30 in a variable manner. By the pitch setting rail 120, the longer the spacing distance P relative to the reference rail 100 becomes (that is, the farther it is spaced off the reference rail 100) the farther sliders 40 are forced to go toward the far ends of clip support members 30 (opposite to the clips), rendering the smaller pitches D_(M) between neighboring clip support members 30, and the shorter the spacing distance P relative to the reference rail 100 becomes (that is, the nearer it comes up to the reference rail 100) the more sliders 40 are forced to come up toward the one ends of clip support members 30 (toward the clips), rendering the greater pitches D_(M) between neighboring clip support members 30.

Description is now made of the pitch setting rail 120, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. In the preheating, zone A, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 is set to a maximal value (P (MAX)) over the entire region. In this situation, between neighboring clip support members 30, the pitch D_(M) is set to a minimal value D_(M) (MIN).

In the stretching zone B, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 gradually becomes shorter, as they extend from the stretch initiating end (as the connected end to the preheating zone A), where it has the maximal value (P (MAX)), to the stretch completing end, where it has a minimal value P (MIN).

In the heat-treating zone C, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 is set to the minimal value (P (MIN)) over the entire region. In this situation, between neighboring clip support members 30, the pitch D_(M) is set to a maximal value D_(M) (MAX).

Description is now made of functions of the sheet or film clipping stretcher 200 according to the present embodiment.

For the right endless loop 10R, the drive sprockets 11 and 12 are driven to rotate clockwise by the electric motors 13 and 14, and for the left endless loop 10R, the drive sprockets 11 and 12 are driven to rotate counterclockwise by the electric motors 13 and 14. And, those clip support members 30 of which driving rollers 58 are engaged with the drive sprockets 11 and 12 are given forces to travel. The endless loop 10R is thereby forced to go round clockwise, and the endless loop 10L, to go round counterclockwise, whereby sheet or film S is taken in between the endless loops 10R and 10L at the left end in FIG. 1.

At an opening for sheet or film S to be taken in, both side edges of sheet or film are clipped (clip on) by clips 20 of the endless loops 10R and 10L, and the sheet or film S first enters the preheating zone A, as the endless loops 10R and 10L move, that is, as clip support members 30 are guided to travel by reference rails 100.

In the preheating zone A, the spacing distance D_(T) between endless loops 10R and 10L is kept as it is correspondent to a transverse width W₀ before transverse stretch, the endless loops 10R and 10L being arranged parallel to each other over the entire region. And, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 is set to a maximal value P (MAX) uniformly over the entire region. Accordingly, in the preheating zone A, simply a preheating is performed, and neither machine-directional stretch nor transverse stretch of sheet or film S is performed.

Next, the sheet or film S enters the stretching zone B. In the stretching zone B, the endless loops 10R and 10L have a gradually increasing spacing distance D_(T), as they move from the preheating zone A toward the heat-treating zone C. Further, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 becomes gradually shorter (P (MAX)→P (MIN)), as they extend from the preheating zone A toward the heat-treating zone C. Accordingly, sliders 40 are displaced toward the one ends (toward clips) of clip support members 30, having gradually increased pitches D_(M) between neighboring clip support members 30. By that, in the stretching zone B, both machine-directional stretch and transverse stretch of sheet or film S are performed simultaneously.

After that, the sheet or film S enters the heat-treating zone C. In the heat-treating zone C, the spacing distance D_(T) between endless loops 10R and 10L, is kept as it is correspondent to a transverse width W₁ after transverse stretch, the endless loops 10R and 10L being arranged parallel to each other over the entire region. And, the spacing distance P between pitch setting rail 120 and reference rail 100 is set to a minimal value P (MIN) uniformly over the entire region. Accordingly, in the heat-treating zone C, simply a heat treatment such as temperature control is performed, and neither machine-directional stretch nor transverse stretch of sheet or film S is performed.

At an outlet of the heat-treating zone C, the sheet or film is released (clip off) from the clipping by clips 20 of the endless loops 10R and 10L, and the sheet or film goes straight ahead, while clip support members 30 are guided by reference rails 100 to circulate in a looping manner.

According to the present embodiment, a sheet or film clipping stretcher 200 includes a combination of a reference rail 100 and a pitch setting rail 120 with structures simply having recessed channels 101 and 121, respectively. it includes a first shaft member 51 provided to a clip support member 30, and cantilevered by a pair of guide rollers 56 provided to the recessed channel 101 in an axial direction of that shaft, to guide along the reference rail 110. It further includes a second shaft member 52 provided to sliders 40 engaged with the clip support member 30, and cantilevered by a pair of pitch setting rollers 57 provided to the recessed channel 121 in an axial direction of this shaft, to guide along the pitch setting rail 12.

Accordingly, when compared with the patent documents 1 and 2, it allows for a suppressed shaking of shaft members as supports of sheet or film stretcher, while achieving the object with a simpler configuration than a rail structure in the patent documents 3.

In addition, in the sheet or film clipping stretcher 200, the clip support member 30 has a clip 20 mounted thereon, and the first shaft member 51, which is provided at the clip 20 side of the clip support member 30, has one end of a main link member 53 and one end of a sub-link member 54 pivotally connected thereto, whereby a reference linkage is configured on the clip 20 side, with a structure needing no chain links.

Accordingly, unlike conventional techniques having a clip mounted on one end of a main link member, it is implemented to prevent variations of angles of clips to sheet or film S, and variations of positional intervals D_(M) (as MD pitches of clips) in a longitudinal direction (as MD direction) of sheet or film S, from getting large at inflectional portions (designated by B1 and B2 in FIG. 1) of guide rails (as reference rails 100) where the width of transverse stretch changes, thus allowing for simultaneous biaxial stretch of high magnification to be performed at high precision.

Moreover, the provision of a reference linkage configured on the clip side serves, among others, to keep radii of inflectional portions B1 and B2 of reference rails 100 from getting large, and prevent moments to be born to provide forces to stretch sheet or film S in the machine direction (MD direction) from getting large.

Further, omission of chain links permits the number of components to be reduced, and eliminates occurrences of a back-fold just after stretch that might have caused troubles in operation.

There will be described another embodiment of the sheet or film clipping stretcher according to the present invention, with reference to FIG. 6 to FIG. 9. It is noted that in FIG. 6 to FIG. 9, those parts corresponding to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5 are designated by like reference characters to FIG. 2 to FIG. 5, eliminating redundant description.

In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6, each clip support member 30 includes a stopper member 61 configured for a variable setting of slidable range of a slider 40 in an elongate hole 39 of the clip support member 30. The stopper member 61 is movable between an abutment position illustrated in FIG. 8, where it is put in a stroke end part at the far end side of the elongate hole 39 (as opposite side to a clip) for the slider 40 to be brought into abutment therewith, and a retract position illustrated in FIG. 6, where it is retracted from the abutment position and free of abutments with the slider 40.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, under a condition in which stopper members 61 are put in retract positions and free of abutments with sliders 40, neighboring clip support Members 30 have a minimal pitch therebetween established by the neighboring clip support members 30 contacting each other, like the embodiment described. That is, this case has a minimal pitch D_(M) (MIN) (refer to FIG. 7).

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 8, under a condition in which stopper members 61 are put in abutment positions for sliders 40 to be brought into abutments therewith, neighboring clip support members 30 have minimal pitches therebetween depending on positions of the sliders 40 in elongate holes 39 at the opposite sides to clips, to be individually established by a stopper member 61 for each clip support member 30. This enables, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a prescribed pitch D_(M)(G1) to be set between non-contacting neighboring clip support members 30.

This permits compensation for variations of clip MD pitches in the longitudinal direction (as MD direction) of sheet or film S due to bending or rattling of among others, main links 53, sub-links 54, or their pivots, or precisions in positioning of guide rails (reference rails 100, pitch setting rails 120), thus allowing for clip MD pitches D_(M) in clipping of sheet or film to be set evenly, and with high accuracy, to a greater value than the minimal pitch D_(M) (MIN) between neighboring clip support members 30 contacting each other.

It is noted that changes in position of stopper members 61 between their abutment positions and retract positions, i.e., on and off operations may well be performed manually, and besides, automatically by using cams or the like while clips are traveling. In this case, stopper members 61 may be set hi abutment positions when clipping sheet or film S, and the stopper members 61 may be moved to retract positions after sheet or film is clipped, to thereby effect a negative stretch (contraction) in the longitudinal direction (as MD direction) of sheet or film S.

Further, abutment positions of stopper members 61 may be set by adjustments of bolt fastening position, individually on each clip support member 30, to have minimal values of clip MD pitch individually determined for each clip support member 30, thereby permitting compensation for variations of clip MD pitches in MD direction due to bending or rattling among others, main links 53, sub-links 54, or their pivots, or precisions in positioning of guide rails (reference rails 100, pitch setting rails 120), thus allowing for minimal values of clip MD pitch D_(M) to be set evenly, and with high accuracy, to a greater value than the minimal pitch D_(M) (MIN) between neighboring clip support members 30 contacting each other.

It is noted that for provision of the stopper member 61, a recessed channel 121 of a pitch setting rail 120 has a channel width set, as illustrated, greater than an outside diameter dimension of pitch setting rollers 57, in consideration of an allowance for stopper actions.

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 10 to FIG. 13, there may be a stopper member 62 provided in a stroke end part at one end side (clip side) of an elongate hole 39. In this case, a maximal value of clip MD pitch D_(M) can be set in a variable manner, like the stopper member 61 permitting a variable setting of a minimal value of clip MD pitch D_(M).

In other words, the stopper member 62 is movable between an abutment position illustrated in FIG. 12, where it is put in the stroke end part at the one end side (clip side) of the elongate hole 39 for a slider 40 to be brought into abutment therewith, and a retract position illustrated in FIG. 10, where it is retracted from the abutment position and free of abutments with the slider 40. Accordingly, under a condition in which stopper members 62 are put in retract positions and free of abutments with sliders 40, as illustrated in FIG. 10, neighboring clip support members 30 have a maximal pitch therebetween established, like the embodiment described, by sliders 40 arriving at stroke end parts at the clip sides of elongate holes 39. That is, this case gives a maximal value D_(M) (MAX) (refer to FIG. 11).

On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 12, under a condition in which stopper members 62 are put in abutment positions for sliders 40 to be brought into abutments therewith, neighboring clip support members 30 have maximal pitches therebetween depending on positions of the sliders 40 in elongate holes 39 at the clip sides, to be individually established by a stopper member 62 for each clip support member 30. This enables, as illustrated in FIG. 13, maximal pitches between neighboring clip support members 30 to be set to a prescribed pitch D_(M) (G2).

There will be described another embodiment of the sheet or film clipping stretcher according to the present invention, with reference to FIG. 14. It is noted that in FIG. 14, those parts corresponding to FIG. 4 are designated by like reference characters to FIG. 4, eliminating redundant description.

This embodiment includes reference rails 130 each made up by a stack of flexible planer members 131 of belt shapes fixed by fixing bolts 115 to stationary blocks 113 on a base 110, with washer members 114 in between.

There are support shafts 71 fixed to a lower end of a first shaft member 51 and a bottom portion of a lower beam 36. Each support shaft 71 has a first engaging element rotatably attached thereto. The first engaging element is composed of a pair of guide rollers 72 and 73. The paired guide rollers 72 and 73 are configured to cantilever a planer portion of a reference rail 130 in a manner of sandwiching from both side, and roll, as they are guided by the reference rail 130.

Further, there are pitch setting rails 140, which also are each made up by a stack of flexible planer members 141 of belt shapes fixed by fixing bolts 118 to stationary blocks 116 on the base 110, with washer members 117 in between.

There are support shafts 81 fixed to a lower end of a second shaft member 52 and a bottom portion of the lower beam 36. Each support shaft 81 has a second engaging element rotatably attached thereto. The second engaging element is composed of a pair of guide rollers 82 and 83. The paired guide rollers are configured to cantilever a planer portion of a pitch setting rail 140 in a manner of sandwiching from both side, and roll as they are guided by the pitch setting rail 140.

In this embodiment, the reference rails 130 and the pitch setting rails 140 are made up by plain stacks of flexible planer members 131 and 141, respectively, allowing for facilitated adjustment and modification of inflectional portions of reference rails 130 and pitch setting rails 140, besides the effects in the first embodiment

Industrial Applicability

As will be seen from the foregoing description, according to the present invention, a sheet or film clipping stretcher includes shaft members of which a respective one is provided to a clip support member or a slider engaged with the clip support member, and provided with a plurality of guide rollers. Those guide rollers are configured to cantilever either the shaft member or a rail for guiding the shaft member. That embodiment thus affords not only to suppress shaking of shaft members, but also to provide rails with a plain recessed-channel shape simply for receiving such guide rollers. And, this embodiment affords to make up rails by flexible planer members, with a facilitated adjustment of form at inflectional portions of pitch setting rails.

In addition, according to the present invention, in a sheet or film clipping stretcher, a clip is mounted on a clip support member, and one end of a main link member and one end of a sub-link member are pivotally connected to a first shaft member at the clip side of the clip support member, whereby a reference linkage is configured on the clip side, with a structure needing no chain links.

Accordingly, unlike those which have a clip mounted on one end of a main link member, it is implemented to prevent variations of angles of clips to sheet or film, and variations of positional intervals (as MD pitches of clips) in the longitudinal direction (as MD direction) of sheet or film, from getting large at inflectional portions of guide rails where the width of transverse stretch changes, thus allowing for simultaneous biaxial stretch of high magnification to be performed at high precision.

Further, the provision of a reference linkage configured on the clip side serves, among others, to keep radii of inflectional portions of reference rails from getting large, and prevent moments to be born to provide forces to stretch sheet or film in the longitudinal direction (MD direction) from getting large.

Further, the structure being free of chain links permits the number of components to be reduced, and eliminates anxieties for occurrences of a back-fold of chain link just after stretch that might cause troubles in operation.

Furthermore, possible provision of a stopper mechanism permits clip MD pitches in a clipping of film or sheet to be set, allowing for the clip MD pitches to be set by stopper adjustments to a greater value than a minimal pitch between neighboring clips (linkage elements) contacting each other. Still more, also a clip MD pitch at a maximal end is adjustable by stopper adjustment. 

1. A sheet or film clipping stretcher including first and second clip arrays composed of clips, respectively, and configured to clip both side edge parts of a sheet or film to stretch the sheet or film, the sheet or film clipping stretcher comprising first and second clip array circulators configured to circulate the first and second clip arrays along prescribed routes, respectively, the first and second clip array circulators each respectively comprising a plurality of clip support members rectangular in shape, and each respectively having a clip supported on one longitudinal end part thereof, and a longitudinal elongate hole formed therein at the other end side, a first shaft member provided in a vicinity of the one end part of a respective clip support member, a slider slidably engaged with the elongate hole of the respective clip support member, a second shaft member provided to the slider of the respective clip support member, link members configured to link neighboring clip support members with each other, a reference rail engaged with a first engaging element provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member, and defining a prescribed route, a pitch setting rail provided along with the reference rail, engaged with a second engaging element provided on the second shaft member of the slider engaged with the respective clip support member, and configured to set a pitch between neighboring clip support members in a variable manner depending on a spacing distance relative to the reference rail, and a drive sprocket configured to selectively engage with a driving roller provided on the first shaft member of the respective clip support member to have the respective clip support member travel along the prescribed route, wherein the first and second engaging elements comprise guiding means, respectively, the guiding means constituting the first engaging element cantilevering the first shaft member to be thereby guided along the reference rail, and the guiding means constituting the second engaging element cantilevering the second shaft member to be thereby guided along the pitch setting rail.
 2. The sheet or film clipping stretcher according to claim 1, wherein the reference rail and the pitch setting rail comprise rail members of recessed-channel shapes, respectively, the guiding means constituting the first engaging element comprises a pair of rollers engaged with a recessed channel of the reference rail along an axial direction of the first shaft member, and the guiding means instituting the second engaging element comprises a pair of rollers engaged with a recessed channel of the pitch setting rail along an axial direction of the second shaft member.
 3. The sheet or film clipping stretcher according to claim 1, wherein the reference rail and the pitch setting rail comprise planer members of belt shapes, respectively, the guiding means constituting the first engaging element comprises a pair of rollers sandwiching a planer portion of the reference rail from both sides in a sliding direction of the slider, and the guiding means constituting the second engaging element comprises a pair of rollers sandwiching a planer portion of the pitch setting rail from both sides in a sliding direction of the slider. 